The Screaming Jets
Band members
- Current line-up
- Dave Gleeson (vocals)
- Jimi Hocking (guitar)
- Scott Kingman (guitar)
- Mickl Sayers (drums)
- Paul Woseen (bass)
- Former members
- Izzy Osmanovich (guitar) (1997 - 2009)
- Grant Walmsley (guitar) (1989 - 2007)
- Col Hatchman (drums) (2001 - 2004)
- Craig Rosevear (drums) (1993 - 2000)
- Richard Lara (guitar) (1989 - 1993)
- Dave Holland (drums) (1993)
- Brad Heaney (drums) (1990 - 1993)
Website
Formed
Newcastle, NSW, 1989
Band information
For the best part of the 1990s, The Screaming Jets were one of the most consistently popular and often controversial bands on the Australian circuit, with tales of wild rock n' roll indulgences occasionally making the evening news broadcasts.
The band formed in Newcastle in 1989 around the core of Gleeson, Woseen and Walmsley. All three had previously been together in a band called Aspect. With guitarist Richard Lara and former Radiators drummer Brad Heaney completing the line-up, the Screaming Jets took out Triple J's National Battle of the Bands with most members barely out of their teens and scored an ARIA nomination in 1990.
The following year, All For One was released and became one of the most popular albums of 1991, preceded by the high-charting single "Better" which remained a constant live staple. The Screaming Jets became instantly popular with this release, although success was mixed with controversy due to Gleeson's often outlandish outspokenness. Hardly a band content to sit around waiting for further success, the Jets headed for the UK and Europe where they spent the best part of the next two years, establishing a reputation as a mean and wild rock act. While there they issued the "Living in England" EP that contained three new originals along with covers of Johnny Cash and AC/DC.
They toured through the UK with the likes of Thunder and the Quireboys and played plenty of their own shows, culminating in an appearance at Germany's Rock Am Festival. During a European tour with Ugly Kid Joe Heaney was fired from the band and replaced for the rest of the dates by former Judas Priest drummer Dave Holland. Tear of Thought contained better songs with the brash heavy rock tempered by introspective moments but met with little success at first until a cover of Boys Next Door's "Shivers" and then "Helping Hand" saw them back in the charts. Heaney was finally replaced by former BB Steal drummer Craig Rosevear for a US tour with Def Leppard and Ugly Kid Joe, and shortly after returning to Australia, Lara was replaced by Jimi 'The Human' Hocking, a Melbourne musician who had earlier released an album under the name Jimi the Human and Spectre 7.
The self-titled album made history when it became the first album to be released with a live Webcast.
Later releases saw the Jets retain their aggressive sound of the first two albums, but there have been mellower moments, with World Gone Crazy in particular containing acoustic passages and even country-flavoured tunes; indeed the band even contributed a track to a Slim Dusty tribute album.
The band's initial success was never matched, however, although they remained popular on the live circuit and still command a large following, despite tours being less frequent. Hocking left in 1997 and was replaced by Ozzi Osmanovich, formerly of Judge Mercy and after an extensive national tour in 2000, Rosevear left the band. Col Hatchman was named as his replacement and in 2001 the Screaming Jets toured nationally with Kiss and Alice Cooper before announcing they would take an extended break from all recording and touring in mid-2001.
In December 2002, the band returned to live performances in support of their self-funded live album, then slipped from view once more; however the Screaming Jets returned to live performance in April 2004 and recorded a live DVD that was released in 2005. Col Hatchman departed from the band in November 2004 and he was replaced by Mickl Sayers. A new album was completed and released in October 2008; in early 2007 Grant Walmsley left The Screaming Jets and was replaced by former Horsehead guitarist Scott Kingman. Jimi Hocking re-joined The Screaming Jets during 2009 in place of Osmanovich.
Discography
Albums:
| 1991 | All For One | rooArt | |
| 1992 | Tear of Thought | rooArt | |
| 1994 | The Screaming Jets | rooArt | |
| 1997 | World Gone Crazy | rooArt | |
| 1999 | Hits and Pieces | rooArt | |
| 2000 | Scam | Grudge | |
| 2002 | Live Forever | self release | |
| 2005 | Rock On | Liberation Music | |
| 2008 | Do Ya | self release |
Singles:
| 1990 | C'Mon | rooArt | |
| 1991 | Better | rooArt | |
| 1991 | Stop the World | rooArt | |
| 1991 | Shine On | rooArt | |
| 1993 | Shivers | rooArt | |
| 1994 | Helping Hand | rooArt | |
| 1994 | Tunnel | rooArt | |
| 1995 | Friend of Mine/Sad Song | rooArt | |
| 1997 | Eve of Destruction | rooArt | |
| 1998 | October Grey | rooArt | |
| 1998 | Cunnumulla Fella | ||
| 1999 | Shine Over Me | rooArt | |
| 1999 | Individuality | Grudge | |
| 2000 | Higher With You | Grudge |
EPs:
| 1990 | The Scorching Adventures of the Screaming Jets | rooArt | |
| 1992 | Living in England | rooArt | |
| 2004 | Heart of the Matter | self release |
VHS/DVD:
| 2005 | Rock On | Liberation Music |